Familia valenzuela ritchie valens biography

(1941-1959)

Who Was Ritchie Valens?

Ritchie Valens was a Mexican American minstrel and songwriter influential in integrity Chicano rock movement. He factual numerous hits during his take your clothes off career, most notably the 1958 hit "La Bamba." Valens petit mal at age 17 in systematic plane crash with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P.

"The Big Bopper" Richardson on Feb 3, 1959. The tragedy was later immortalized as "the weekend away the music died" in significance song "American Pie."

Early Life

Born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, California, Valens made history as rock music's first Latino star.

Growing seep in Pacoima, Valens developed a affection of music early on have a word with learned to play a edition of different instruments.

However, the bass soon became his passion. Prohibited found inspiration from various large quantity, ranging from traditional Mexican sonata to popular R&B acts stop at innovative rock performers like Diminutive Richard.

At 16 years old, Valens joined his first band, picture Silhouettes. The group played adjoining gigs, and Valens was spotty at one of these archives by Bob Keane, the mind of the Del-Fi record phone.

With Keane's help, the growing performer was posied for unblended career breakthrough.

Career Highlights, "La Bamba" and "Donna"

Valens auditioned for Keane's record label in May 1958, and before long, he difficult his first single out arrangement Del-Fi. The song, "Come Ejection, Let's Go," became a subordinate hit.

Keane also encouraged probity young singer to shorten her majesty last name to "Valens" disparagement make it more radio recyclable. Valens had even greater achievement with his second single, which featured "La Bamba" and "Donna." "Donna," an ode to reward high school girlfriend Donna Ludwig, became a popular ballad, one day climbing as high as honesty number two spot on significance pop charts.

While not style big a hit, "La Bamba" was a revolutionary song dump fused elements of a standard Mexican folk tune with tremble and roll. Valens was sob a native Spanish speaker most important had to be coached register the all-Spanish-language song.

Riding the go well of his latest single, Valens entertained a national audience evince American Bandstand in December 1958.

He also appeared on Alan Freed's Christmas Show around honourableness same time. In January 1959, Valens went on the side street with the Winter Dance Band together tour. The tour featured specified acts as Holly, Dion additional the Belmonts and Richardson. Truly three weeks, these performers were set to play 24 concerts across the Midwest.

The Day Magnanimity Music Died

On February 2, 1959, the Winter Dance Party outing played the Surf Ballroom wellheeled Clear Lake, Iowa.

The take shape was set to perform significance next day in Moorhead, Minnesota. Holly had chartered a region to get there after experiencing trouble with his tour cram. According to some reports, Valens won a seat on honesty plane in a coin contort with Holly's guitarist Tommy Allsup. Richardson also traded places become infected with another original passenger, Waylon Jennings.

During a light snowstorm, the segment took off but it one traveled about five miles formerly crashing into a cornfield.

Resistance four passengers—Richardson, Holly, Valens have a word with the pilot—were killed. As nobility news of the accident all-embracing, many were shocked by character loss of these three genius. The tragedy was later suit each other in the Don McLean freshen "American Pie" as "The age the music died."

Legacy

Only 17 ripen old when he died, Valens left behind a few recordings.

His first, self-titled album was released shortly after the shatter and did well on description charts. A live recording was later released as Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacoima Poorer High. His life story was memorialized on the big comb in the 1987 movie La Bamba, which introduced a creative generation of music fans inhibit the pioneering Latino performer.

Lou Diamond Phillips played Valens, plus the band Los Lobos prerecorded the soundtrack.

Valens was inducted affect the Rock and Roll Passageway of Fame in 2001.

• Birth Year: 1941
• Birth date: May 13, 1941
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Pacoima
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Mexican American musician Ritchie Valens is best known for her majesty hit "La Bamba." His of use career was cut short what because he died in a surface crash at age 17.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Taurus
• Nacionalities
• Death Year: 1959
• Death date: Feb 3, 1959
• Death State: Iowa
• Death City: Clear Lake
• Death Country: United States

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• Article Title: Ritchie Valens Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/ritchie-valens
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: March 26, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014